


A Good Deed for Christmas

by Ultra



Series: The Runaways 'Verse [12]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bittersweet, Christmas, Coping, F/M, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: Jess has learnt that Christmas is for family.
Relationships: Emily Gilmore & Jess Mariano, Rory Gilmore/Jess Mariano
Series: The Runaways 'Verse [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/676556
Kudos: 14





	A Good Deed for Christmas

_December 2020_

When Jess pulled up the car outside of the house, he wondered if he had finally gone completely crazy. Then he gave it a little thought and realised that, actually, what he was doing wasn’t a crazy thing, it was just the right thing.

Taking a deep breath, he alighted from the car, a million memories crowding his brain as he walked up to the door and rang the bell. Of course, it was a maid that answered, not the lady of the house, but he was soon brought through to the living room and presented to her.

“Jess?” said Emily with evident surprise. “What on Earth are you doing here?” she asked as she rose from her seat. “Oh, God, nothing has happened to the children?”

“Nothing bad has happened, I promise,” Jess assured her, feeling awful for the panic he had caused, especially after everything else she had been through. “I actually came to, uh... to bring you to Stars Hollow, so you can spend Christmas with us.”

Emily looked confused and Jess couldn’t blame her for that. Though they got along better in more recent years than they ever had in the beginning of Jess’ relationship with Rory, he was not exactly the person most likely to willingly spend time with his grandmother-in-law.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly,” said Emily, shaking her head. “It’s very sweet of Rory to think of me, but I...”

“This wasn’t Rory’s idea,” Jess told her, daring to interrupt only because she seemed to be trailing off anyway. “I mean, it’s not like she wouldn’t want you there, it’s just, well, I know you told us you had plans for Christmas, but believe me, I know a person hiding pain behind lies. You’re looking at an old hand in that department,” he said with a smirk. “I spent a lot of years doing that exact thing. I knew you didn’t have plans, and I know that the last thing you could imagine having right now is a Merry Christmas,” he said, glancing up at the portrait on the wall, specifically at the part showing a smiling Richard. “Nobody expects you to be the life and soul of the party, but please, just come with me. Come and spend Christmas with your family.”

There was a moment when Jess thought Emily might just dig her heels in and refuse, it was why it came as such a surprise when she suddenly moved forward, leaning up to kiss his cheek, with tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

“Thank you, Jess. You know, you’re really not the hoodlum I once thought you were,” she said, patting his arm. “I’ll get my things.”

An hour later, as Emily was greeted happily by her granddaughter and teenage great-grandkids, Jess hung back by the living room door, sighing with relief that this whole thing had worked out. While Jack and Tori showed Emily the tree and offered her hot chocolate with marshmallows, Rory wandered over and hugged Jess tightly.

“Thank you,” she said, kissing his cheek and then his lips as she pulled back a little. “You really are the best guy, you know that, right?”

“She needed this,” Jess shrugged easily. “Christmas is for family.”

“Yes, it is,” Rory agreed, turning to look at her children making their great-grandmother feel welcome, Jess’ arm still around her. “I think Grandpa would be glad she wasn’t alone. I’m glad too.”

Jess pulled Rory tighter to him as he heard the tears in her voice, kissing the top of her head. Together, they would make it a Christmas worth celebrating and honour Richard at the same time, just as it should be.


End file.
